Curtain-fixture.



No. 763,102. PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904. H. E. KEBLER.

- CURTAIN FIXTURE.

' APPLICATION FILED JAR" 18. 1904.

N10 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

Mum; 29mm M I'MTTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

HERBERT E. KEELER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,102, dated June 21,1904.

Application filed January 18, 1904. Serial No. 189,504- (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. KEELER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures,of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of the same.

This invention relates to curtain-fixtures, and relates especially tocurtain-fixtures in which a flexible curtain-rod is employed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numeral refersto similar parts in the several figures, Figure 1 is afront view, partlyin section, this invention applied to a curtain. Figs. 2 and 3are-enlarged horizontal sectional views of the same, showing thecurtain-rod straight and in flexed position. Fig. 4 is a view showing amodified construction, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention a curtain 1 is shown assecured at its upper end to the spring-actuated roller 2, the

lower end of the curtain carrying the flexible but preferablysubstantially inextensible curtain-rod 3, which may be secured to thelower end of the curtain by being held in a suitable pocket orotherwise. The curtain-rod serves to support the spring-pressed shoes,which are mounted on the curtain and which are provided with suitableguiding members to engage the guideways 4 adjacent the curtain.

These shoes may be mounted at the ends of the curtain-rod in any desiredway and are preferably spring-pressed apart to cooperate properly withthe guideways and to hold the curtain in adjusted position. The shoes 5(shown'in Fig. l) are provided with the eccentrically-mounted rotatingguiding members 6, these shoes being secured to the spindles 35, theinner ends of which fit loosely within the tubes 8, which are secured tothe ends of the curtain-bar in any desired way.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, each tube 8 may be formed with a suitableslot 7, through which the screw 9 passes, this screw engaging showing anembodiment of.

the spindle to hold it in the tube. The spring 10 is indicatedwithin thetube to press the spindle and shoe outward, and the actuatingwire 21 isshown secured to the spindle and passing through the block 13 at theinner end of the tube, the handle 18 being preferably detachablyconnected to the end of this wire in any desired way, so that by thismeans the handles when pressed together serve to draw the shoes inwardand release the guiding members from engagement with the guideways.

One or more strips, plates, or spacing members, preferably of resilientmaterial, may be used to give the curtain-rod the desired flexibility.In Fig. 2 the strips or plates 11 12 are shown as extendinglongitudinally of the curtain-bar, while the strip 15 on the other sideof the bar is formed of similar material. These strips may be joinedtogether, as indicated in Fig. 2, by the center block 20, secured to thestrips by the screws 22 23 and formed with suitable slots, as indicated,to accommodate the handles, these handles also passing through suitableslots 19 in the strip 15. For some purposes it is very desirable thatthe lateral flexure of the curtain-bar take place in one direction,while the curtain-bar is substantially rigid against flexure in theother direction. For this purpose the plates or plate-sections on oneside of the curtainrod may be provided in any part with a looseconnection to allow one end of the plate or member longitudinalmovement. This may be accomplished, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3,byforming each end of the strip 15 with a suitable slot '17, whichcooperates with asuitable stud 16, secured to the curtain-bar andcarried on the strip 14:, (shown as secured in Fig. 2 to the block 13.)This slotted connection allows a limited longitudinal movement betweenthe strips or plate members 15 and 16, the ends of the plate 15 beingallowed to move inward to a limited extent, governed by the length ofthe slot 17; but the outward movement of the end of the strip withrespect to the stud is not permitted beyond the position indicated inFig. 2, where the curtain-bar is shown straight.v I/Vhen the curtain-baris laterally deflected by grasping the handles 18 or otherwise, thestrips bend to allow this movement, and also the ends of the strip 15move to a limited extent by reason of their slotted connection, so thatflexure of the bar in the direction indicated in Fig. 3 is readilyallowed. Further flexure is then prevented, the studs engaging theslotends. Lateral flexure in the opposite direction is not, however,readily allowed, since, as will be seen in Fig. 2, the loose connectionof the strip 15 does not allow the ends of this strip to move outward,so that the bar can only bend as a whole and is so rigid under theseconditions as to substantially prevent flexure in this direction.

If desired, the form of construction indicated in Fig. 4 may beemployed, in which the curtain-bar comprises the terminal tubes 28,formed with slots 27 to accommodate thesecuring-screws 29, which engagethe spindles 30. The shoes 25 are secured to these spindles and carrysuitable guiding members 26 to engage the guideways. 'The centralportion of the bar is indicated as composed of a suitable plate orplates 24, preferably operat" ing as a spacing member to make the barsubstantially inextensible, this spacing member being preferably rigidlysecured to the plugs 31, fastened into the tubes. If desired, thesubstantially circular contour of the bar may be secured by using acoiled wire or flexible tube of any construction at the central portionof the bar to inelose the spacing member, the coiled wire 32 beingindicated as having close convolutions to give it a substantiallytubular form. A suitable handpiece 33 is preferably employed, so thatthe lower edge may be more readily grasped, and this handpiece may besecured to the bar by a suitable support 34, which may be fastened tothe handpiece and spacing member by screws or in any other desired way.It will be seen that the slotted connection between the spindles and thecurtain-bar prevents the relative rotation of these parts and alwaysmaintains the proper alinement between the shoes and the flexible platesor spacing members, which are shown in this instance as substantiallyparallel to the shoes. Under these conditions the curtain-bar ispractically rigid when moved up and down in the ordinary way, but stillis sufliciently flexible in a lateral direction to allow it to be movedaround obstacles, such as window-pulls or other proecting parts.

It is of course understood that those familiar with this art may makemany modifications in the form, proportion, and numbers of parts of thisdevice. Parts of the same may be employed without using the whole, andparts may be used in connection with other devices without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or losing the advantages of the same.I do not, therefore, desire to'be limited to the details of thedisclosure which has been made in this case; but

What I claim as new, and what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In combination, shoes provided with guiding members, a curtain-rod,said shoes being mounted at the ends of said curtain-rod, one of saidshoes being mounted to reciprocate with respect to said curtain-rod,butbeing prevented from rotating with respect thereto, a spring tonormally press said shoes apart, handles to bring said shoes together,said ourtain-rod comprising members on either side of the same, one ofsaid members having a loose connection to allow one end of the same tohave a limited movement.

2. In combination, a curtainrod, shoes mounted to reciprocate at theends of said rod and normally spring-pressed outward, means to retractsaid shoes, said rod comprising flexible members, one of said membersbeing laterally separated from another and provided with a looseconnection to allow a limited longitudinal movement of the same,

3. In combination, flexible members, means to space said members apartlaterally to form a curtain-rod, one of said members comprising sectionsand having a loose connection between its sections to make saidcurtainrod readily flexible in one direction and substantially rigidagainst flexure in another direction.

4. In combination, a curtain-rod, elongated shoes mounted to reciprocatewith respect, to said rod, but being held against rotation with respectthereto, said rod comprising a flexible plate to allow the lateralflexure of said rod so as to allow it to pass around obstacles.

5. In combination, a curtain-rod compris ing a laterally flexiblemember, guiding means mounted at the ends of said rod and means toprevent the lateral flexure of said member in one direction.

6. In combination, a curtain-rod comprising a flexible member, guidingmeans mounted at the ends of said rod and normally pressed outward andmeans to limit the extent of flexure of said member.

7. In combination, a plurality of members spaced apart laterally to forma curtain-rod, one of said members being formed with a loose connectionto allow said rod to be laterally deflected to alimited extent.

8. In combination, a plurality of members spaced apart laterally to forma curtain-rod, one of said members being formed of resilient materialand another of said members laterally spaced therefrom and comprising aplurality of sections, a loose connection being provided between itsseveral sections to allow a limited longitudinal movement between videdWith a loose connection to furnish a IO said sections to allow said rodto be deflected limited longitudinal play to allow said rod to to alimited extent. be laterally deflected to a limited extent and 9. Incombination, a spring-actuated curto maintain the same substantiallyrigid in Q tain, a curtain-rod mounted in said curtain other directions.

and provided with guiding meansto guide HERBERT E. KEELER. said curtainin its movements, said curtaln- Witnesses: rod comprising a resilientmember and a sec- HARRY L. DUNCAN,

0nd member spaced apart therefrom and pro- JESSIE B. KAY.

